Jessica Kaneakua
Development Director
Jessica Kaneakua is a Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) nonprofit leader with more than a decade of experience in philanthropy, organizational development, education, and community-based advocacy. She returns to Water Protector Legal Collective after previously supporting the organization’s fundraising and grant development efforts, bringing deep familiarity with WPLC’s mission and a longstanding commitment to Indigenous-led advocacy.
Born and raised in diaspora in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Dakota homelands, Jessica returned to her ancestral piko in Hawaiʻi in 2013. Since then, she has worked across the public health, education, nonprofit, and community sectors, helping organizations strengthen their capacity, secure sustainable funding, and advance community-driven initiatives.
Jessica holds a B.A. in Psychology from Macalester College, an M.A. in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Connecticut, and a Master of Legal Studies in Indigenous Peoples Law from the University of Oklahoma. At WPLC, she leads the organization’s development strategy, cultivating partnerships and securing the resources needed to advance Indigenous rights, environmental justice, and the long-term sustainability of the organization.
